Mbeki cheered across Africa - Mboweni

2012-11-24 08:08

Johannesburg - While South Africans might think former president Thabo Mbeki had done nothing positive for the country, the rest of Africa celebrated him as an "outstanding leader", former Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni said on Friday.

"His many detractors would have us believe he did nothing for the country during his presidency. They only remember him for his position on HIV/Aids.

"Meanwhile, the rest of the continent celebrates him as an outstanding African leader," Mboweni said in Johannesburg, delivering a lecture in Mbeki's honour as part of the ANC's centenary celebrations.

Mbeki's abilities as a leader and intellectual were evident in his recent naming as the Daily Trust 2012 African of the Year.

"Perhaps, as the Bible says, prophets are not recognised in their own country but in faraway places," said Mboweni.

Mbeki's most important contribution to the country was as deputy president under former president Nelson Mandela following the first democratic election in 1994, he said.

Ousted in ANC

Mandela had left Mbeki to manage the state while he concentrated on reconciliation and nation-building.

"We inherited a bankrupt state, heavily indebted. Mbeki set to put efforts in place to start building the country's economy."

Mboweni said Mbeki had many detractors in the African National Congress.

"A concerted effort was made by some to prevent him from ever becoming the substantive leader of the ANC.

"It was thus no surprise at all that whilst he led the party's negotiations team in exile, he was quickly replaced when he returned home... and so from chief negotiator he became just a delegate at Codesa [the Congress for a Democratic SA]."

He described the 2007 Polokwane conference, where Mbeki was replaced by President Jacob Zuma, as being "as painful as politics could be".

"There is surely nothing that can prepare one for a 'palace coup' staged by one's own comrades. That is what happened in Polokwane."

Comments

marcdefl - 2012-11-24 08:11

Come back all is forgiven Mr Mbeki. Save from this clown and his tickie
Gwede. ANC save our beloved country in December. Viva Mothlante Viva.

mlucejko - 2012-11-24 08:48

You only realise what you've lost when the 'replacement' is such a disaster !!

kimard - 2012-11-24 09:52

at least he is classy and neat on his appearance - unlike the obese current government. i swear they must be all diabetic by now

danie.strydom.7 - 2012-11-24 11:58

For Real? The ONLY reason African leaders heap praise on Mbeki is that in his ''reign'' the border posts were thrown open to receive the African brotherhood.
Get real. What is worse? A piece of dog poop, or a pile of it. Same difference. We are still in the sh*t.
The ANC will soon self implode. The internal struggle for power and GREED will drive the demise of this pathetic ''liberation movement''
God bless Africa, as the bwana won't give any more to help the dying masses. Look north and LEARN from previous African EXPERIMENTS you bunch of uneducated retard ANC officials. Then, do the same, and expect something different ...

claudia.meads - 2012-11-24 12:00

There is no way to avoid an even more painful reality..,
Tito Mboweni represents the rarest commodity in South Africa:
AN INTELLIGENT BLACK PERSON...

Africa21stcentury - 2012-11-24 14:14

.
It is beyond believe, how anyone can have even ONE good word for Thabo Mbeki.
Because of his half baked bullsh.t re hiv.aids, TENS OF THOUSANDS of South African Aids sufferers DIED.
He should be put on a plane to the ICC in the Hague, and stand trial for crimes against humanity!!
SA, having 0.7 % of the world's population, has SEVENTEEN PERCENT of its hiv-aids sufferers!!!!!!
One can say what one wants about Jacop Zuma, but when it comes to one of the worst disasters ever to hit SA, he proved to be a LEADER !!!!
MILLIONS of hiv aids sufferers will be grateful to JZ....FOREVER !!!

siyadennis - 2012-11-24 14:31

and you Claudia Meads represent the most common commodity in SA...
A racist internet trolling white South African

kimard - 2012-11-24 14:36

ditto luzuko!!

matthew.patrick.925 - 2012-11-25 07:35

Mbeki was an arrogant, flawed man but he was an intelligent leader who kept the party united and made decisions which he stuck to, sometimes all too vehemently. It's a pity he had to stand by his friend, that buffoon Manto Tshabala-Tsimang and her drunkard opinions on HIV / AIDS. On the other hand, what has Zuma done in fighting the epidemic, showed that it's cool to father illegitimate children, including with a close friends daughter, and that a post-coitus shower is a good substitute for protection?

ronald.stilianou - 2012-11-24 08:19

We want him back as our president. That's a president I can respect, he's got intelligence and dignity.

muke.matshaba - 2012-11-24 08:38

If that could happen Zuma the Clown is gone forever

frank.cornelissen.1 - 2012-11-24 09:02

Comparing his with Zoomer does not make him a great leader! Zoomer is trash and under Mbeki the corruption spiral actually began so really, Mbeki is just as useless as the rest of the African leaders praising him!

john.mcguinness.9465 - 2012-11-24 08:19

If he was so great how come he was replaced by zuma

emi.zen.37 - 2012-11-24 08:28

Duh!

julio.sanfona - 2012-11-24 08:47

Because Zuma and his click wanted to get their filthy hands on the loot, which they are busy doing right now.

nhlapop - 2012-11-24 09:12

Ask the member of NEC. Even Zuma said he was the best President ever in SA

henk63 - 2012-11-24 09:32

@Julio - so if it was a concerted effort to remove Mbeki and install Zuma, it was all about getting a corrupt man into the presidency so the office cannot act against corruption by the rest in government? If that was the case, what hope do you have of getting him back? And to dismiss Mbeki's stance on AIDS would be folly, and remember Zimbabwe?. He clearly demonstrates he is not the "intellectual" everyone claims him to be. Anyway, to mention ANC an Intellectual in the same sentence is an oxymoron if there ever was one.

kimard - 2012-11-24 09:54

because you wanted a person who promised you the stuffed pig - unfortunately he only stuffed his own stomach and not the rest of the poor

ant.duke - 2012-11-24 08:21

You never know what you've got till its gone...

Montagnes.Bleues - 2012-11-24 08:23

The treatment of Mbeki by his criminally tainted colleague zuma was unacceptable!

henk63 - 2012-11-24 09:13

Zuma does not have the ability to hatch devious plans. He was just a pawn to get the presidency silenced when it comes to corruption. The real culprits are the rest in government, who give Zuma tidbits like Nkandla while they are pocketing the serious money.

zuma doesnt have leadership in him - he is more of a tripe oops i mean tribe - headman :)

Montagnes.Bleues - 2012-11-24 12:16

@kimard - henk63 is actually quite right and accurate - the small gangland of ruthless thieves surrounding zuma and pulling his string all day long are taking enough to make you loose all your blood instantly.
The figures are so staggering that if known publicly, SA would instantly be worse than Liberia, hence their need for 'secrecy'.
The tribal lot that have now firmly latched onto the state funds are the dogs of war, but look closely closer to zuma's side and see who are all herding him and controlling the purse strings.

bless.boswell - 2012-11-24 08:25

If the ANC inherited a bankrupt state what has it done to correct that situation?

emi.zen.37 - 2012-11-24 08:44

Under the leadership of President Mbeki and finance ministry of Trevor Manuel, the ANC implemented macro-economic policies that reversed the bankruptcy alluded to above, which culminated with a budget surplus of 0.9% of GDP in 2007.

henk63 - 2012-11-24 09:19

I think the "bankruptcy" is highly overstated. The previous govermnet knew how to work with money, given the isolation forced upon us. Some R180bn just disappeared from the state coffers just when the ANC took over, and nobody really knows where the money went to. Except maybe Gill Marcus, CEO of Absa. You all play the tune of how the ANC rescued us, when in fact it was just the opposite.

brett.michielin - 2012-11-24 09:47

Henk, its common knowledge that we were bankrupt bud. The sanctions against SA had taken its toll in the late 80's. I also would love to say that the old sa was better but it wasn't we all know that. Sa is nothing without foreign investment. The money that poured into sa for the rest of the world thanks to the likes of Nelson Mandela gave us the aid we needed to build infrastructure.

tiaan.vanderberg.75 - 2012-11-24 08:26

lets remember that it was the ANC that ousted him under the magnificent coup d etat of the brilliant Mr Malema.

Congs Mr Mbeki to me personally if i can look at African and South African leader is the only one that is intelligent at the moment but u never know "may be" there is some one else lets give a chance to some one apart from Zuma the artist/dancer..

lebakeng.nchaupe - 2012-11-24 08:28

My President
the true head of state

zingisa.makuluma - 2012-11-24 08:56

To replace Tabo Mbeki with Zuma was the bad decision,we salute you ZIZI

david.wolpert.39 - 2012-11-24 08:29

Pray tell us Mr Mboweni of the high quality of successful leaders acroaa Africa who are applauding Mr Mbeki!!

Nkuza1 - 2012-11-24 08:59

As the words of a great man echoed in my ears If the ANC does what the apartheid did to the people. People must do what the ANC did to the National party.Zuma and Co are taking us back if we are not careful our children will be having no future.

siyadennis - 2012-11-24 09:02

The leaders of countries that are currently experiencing the fastest economic growth on the planet. Thats who

craig.thom.376 - 2012-11-24 10:07

siyadennis-lowbase buddy

siyadennis - 2012-11-24 14:36

and who do you want craig.thom.376? The broken, war mongering, imperialistic nations of west europe?

Sakhiwo - 2012-11-24 08:30

Well chosen words

nico.dejongh.90 - 2012-11-24 08:37

More brains than the whole cANCer put together. The skelms were unable to concoct their greedy plan while he was trying to built on Mandela's foundation.

Erna - 2012-11-24 08:42

And that is why the internal screwings within the anc will never make sense to me. To replace a man like Mbeki with some pleb like zuma to represent the country was a huge mistake, which many 'comrades' have admitted to. Apart from looking total idiots, what is stopping the anc from doing the same to zuma? There must be someone in the party that can do a better job than zuma? I can't actually believe that there is anyone worse!

henk63 - 2012-11-24 09:22

It was all a clever plan. Read my post above.

julio.sanfona - 2012-11-24 08:44

I was one of those who thought that Thabo Mbeki was an ineffective leader of country, that is until JZ came along.
Now I also agree that Thabo Mbeki was an outstanding president.

celelwa.mgijima - 2012-11-24 09:12

A cry of many today...

henk63 - 2012-11-24 09:25

No Julio, just because someone doesn't smell like sh$t doesn't mean he smells nice. Mbeki also tried his best to sow devision in SA. Not intellectual at all. However, it is all too easy to forget Mbeki's shortcomings when confronted with the HUGE ones of Zuma.

tabisa.ndamase.7 - 2012-11-24 08:45

Mbeki was a true and intelligent leader.

Mpho Shipalana - 2012-11-24 08:45

a true president! many disagreed with his vision that bcoz they lacked the wisdom he had! the ANC saw him as a threat bcoz he was for the people whether as a president or not thabo mbeki is and was for the people! south africa is truly and example of how the country needs education, we let go of such leaders like Mr Mbeki to support people like Zuma we are even ashamed to call him our president! people should learn to take out the mentality of fun just bcoz he came out singing songs doesnt mean that the economy will be balanced by a song it needs wisdom and interlligence this is what our current government lacks how can a grade six year old man lead people with phd's in politics and governance yes he was frm a poor background but arent all top billionaires from poor backgrounds u think education comes to u? what has he done to improve his education nothing! zuma should sit down!

oliphant.mzolisi - 2012-11-24 08:47

Tito u ar correct but he is not cheered only in Africa even in South Africa there is an ouycry for him to comeback and assist in the restoring of respect and dignity of the movement,it was painful when those who ar now failing the movement and the country replaced him with zuma in polokwane,he was and stil an outstanding leader that the ANC has ever produced a leader like him is stil to b born in the ANC,ANC is in disrepute as we speak people ar loosing hope in the movement bcze of those who could not stand Thabo,history and politics has exposed them for who they ar but its never too late they will be removed in mangaung idiots.

BrandonFaber - 2012-11-24 08:52

Yes usually with a whiskey and a bag of powder eh?

douglas.reid.921 - 2012-11-24 08:53

Had to so that they could shut down the scorpions and keep JZ out of jail. Mbeki practiced quiet diplomacy, so quiet you never noticed it and it never achieved anything. At least he didn't squander the peoples money or cost the country a fortune to maintain an extensive harem of wives and children.

sipho.zipi - 2012-11-24 08:53

you can't keep a good man down for too long. replacing a strong and capable leader with Zuma is a blunder the anc may never recover from. Zuma has a way of playing the victim and he was able to full many through this, but now that he is in the picture all is obvious. LONG LIVE MBEKI.

adriaan.kroon.1 - 2012-11-24 09:02

Honestly Mbeki had a hard act to follow after Mr Mandela. I applaud Mr Mbeki to please come back! It will be a relief!

Bra Tebzaah Sibilanga - 2012-11-24 09:03

Mbeki is the man,I will forever hold him in high regard.Dont ever compare him to zuma,de klerk,verwoerd or terreblanche.If he could form his party,a lot of us clever blacks would vote him without any hesitation.

suash - 2012-11-24 11:13

I don't think it would only be blacks that will vote for him cos I would definitely vote for him too

siyabonga.phungula1 - 2012-11-24 09:07

dream on

siyabonga.mswane - 2012-11-24 09:16

We still need TM.

zolisa.dlokovu - 2012-11-24 09:17

There was nothing wrong about voting for new leadership in Polokwane but Jacob Zuma.? He will be recorded as the worst ANC and state president in history books.The man doesnt represent us black people.He is a tribalist promoting Zulu kingdom Thabo Mbeki is an internationalist and one of african intellectuals. He is not an angel but he is the son of Africa.

mlungisi.fynn - 2012-11-24 12:47

Promoting the Zuma/Nxamalala kingdom.People in Nkandla have no running water.Uwe itribalist.

reoagile.motitswe - 2012-11-24 09:19

we salute..

Mzondi Wakwa Maqina - 2012-11-24 09:25

A true leader indeed. Look at how we survived through recession, how stable our economy was, we never had wild cat strikes, never accused of squandering millions. Maybe Zuma is trying a quiet diplomacy by not responding to his accusations ha ha ha, dumb shower man.

victor.musakwa - 2012-11-24 09:32

He might be a great leader , bt the way he took the zimbabwean issue wz the worst than the HIV/aids thing , 'they is no crises in zimbabwe' while the media is showing the killing and inhuman evil doings of the regime in zim ,he contrary frm the truth jst to save a corrupt comrade ,

Basani Basi Chauke - 2012-11-24 09:32

I personally was blown away there are things that I never knew by our former president Mbeki that made me respect him. He certainly made an impact in our country its sad we will only remember him for his mistakes.

victor.musakwa - 2012-11-24 10:09

Intellectual with bias always leads u to known mostly of yo mistakes!!

sean.mkhize.1 - 2012-11-24 09:37

He is cheered by the world simple because he is an internationalist and there's nothing wrong with that.However, the previous leadership is incomparable with the leadership of post Polokwane, for an example Mboweni can't compare himself with Gill Marcus same as the Current and previous Public protectors. I was however disgusted when I hear Tito referring to Ithala bank in KZN as this thing in KZN called Ithala. These guys must spot this arrogance that they have. This is one of the reasons they were all replaced.

themba.thwala.775 - 2012-11-24 21:55

Udakwa yinsango Khabazela. The current Public Protector is hated by the ANC. You also cannot compare showerhead with any previous presidents of the ANC or of any country for that matter. That thing called Zuma cannot even talk unless someone writes a speech for it. Otherwise it talks embarassing rubbish such as growing up beating up gays (even though gays are protected under the right to equality in the constitution); the constitution is a white man's document (even though the ANC participated in drafting it and even adopted it as the first democtratic government)

mart.botha - 2012-11-24 09:42

This country doesn't need an Mbeki despite his intellect etc. What it needs is a strong charismatic, morally uncorruptable, no nonsense visionary who has a keen ability to recognise right from wrong. What we need is a leader who does not accept mediocraty or mistakes no matter who the villain is....and they must be the person who all South Africans want to be their President because he does what is right and does not only pay 'lip service'to real issues. Past President Mandela, in my opinion, had most of these attributes but 27 years in jail left him a bit far removed from the reality of what his party had become and the intricate webs of lies and deceipt generously sprinkled with all comers corruption, 'he was taken advantage of because he is Mr Nice Guy.
Do we have someone that can 'fill their boots' and do the Presidential job to a standard never seen before....haha, don't joke....and no, I am not available.

firmsly.kabelo - 2012-11-24 09:44

So far we had only two good Presidents and that is Mandela and Mbeki.
Our current President is the worst we ever had.

theMichaelHawthorne - 2012-11-24 09:53

If it was bankcrupt then what is it today? Non existant...

phillys.winterbottom - 2012-11-24 09:59

next to this zuma-clown, Mbeki looks like a bloody rocket scientist, so would i!!!!

sbanganim - 2012-11-24 10:00

It seems to me that, without realising it, we are all abusing our democratic right of 'Freedom of Expression'. I am of the view that people just speak from their heads without thinking about what they are saying. May I invite all interested to read a letter in response to Ms Sexwale by Andrew Mlangeni, a politacal activist, Rivonia trialist and former Robben Island prisoner. It appears in the ANC homepage...ANC Today, Volume 12 No. 45 16-22 November 2012. It is titled "We too raised questions about the direction our country was taking".
I can only hope it will instil some political maturity of a certain degree..they maybe people can start commenting in a constructive manner. I honestly believe the quality of commentary here is not worth the time it took to type. Please South African, can we all grow up!

phillipmongatane - 2012-11-24 10:05

Mbeki was a greater,just that he was criticised for his poor HIV/AIDS policies,and he was outsted by defectors in the ANC who are still deviding the ANC right now.Mbeki should have mentored Zuma on how to be a great leader.

themba.thwala.775 - 2012-11-24 21:57

He could not have succeeded no matter how hard he tried. How do you teach economic and world politics to a former goatherder who has never been to school? Impossible my friend

mkgatla3 - 2012-11-24 10:19

Cde Mbeki the best leader ever! Zuma is only a disgrace to south africa.

Craig.thon.376 u ar really sick and u need a brain specialist do not comment for the sake of commenting Thabo merely said on the aids issue he needed more time an reseach on the matter for him to be aible to apply his mind infact the ARVS were rolled out during Thabos reign i did not c anything wrong then even now with his stance,secondly it it clear u ar not informed at all Oom Govan Mbeki was not the brother to Thabo Mbaki but his father,stop embarrassing yurself by making stupid comments with wrong facts go and c the doctor idiot.

lunga.mehluku - 2012-11-24 10:47

Bua Tito bua.... Political hayena's have taken over our ANC!! History will judge them hushly!! We salute Former President Thabo Mbuyiselo Mbeki 4 his exceptional work in the ANC, SA and Africa. Aluta continua!

JanGrimbeek - 2012-11-24 10:49

They are all just reading pre-written speeches by someone else, all they do is put their own sorry-face acting to the words and that's it.

lwazi.mpofu - 2012-11-24 13:45

But Mbeki wrote his own speeches

Dumisani Mpanza - 2012-11-24 10:50

It's about time we do something about our corrupt government.

Desi Moodley - 2012-11-24 11:24

YES !!!! Lets Vote them and their alliances Cosatu, SACP and NFP out in 2014 and replace them with a Government for the people

sango.jika - 2012-11-25 06:43

we can start by voting him out in 2014 if he wins in manguang.

Jade-Mach - 2012-11-24 11:00

Mbeki knew what he was talking about regarding HIV/AIDS. The sad part is that many health practitioners and intellectuals are criticizing the man for things they should know and understand.
The bottom line is the moment your immune system is destroyed due to a bad diet and lack of good bacteria in your body,any dis-ease will attack your body and kill you. No one dies from AIDS/HIV. Magic Johnson was diagnosed with the 'illness' ages ago but he's still alive because he has the financial resources to stabilize his immune system.
Whether people like Thabo Mbeki or not,at the end of the day during his term we had strong international relations and a strong emerging economy. Not mess we see happening in our country with leaders who lack accountability.

sibabalom - 2012-11-24 11:36

Fannie you must be blind not to see that. A rich economy brings wealth to the country where that allows the country to give better services and create jobs. Mbeki found the country in debt and was able to make it the richest in Africa. Before him, we where playing second fiddle to Nigeria, Egypt and Lybia! Go outside SA and you'll see what Mbeki has done for his people!

suash - 2012-11-24 11:11

Mbeki is a good man. He made South Africa know to the rest of the world. I voted for him once. He showed great courage when he dismissed Zuma.

furlong.lubisi.7 - 2012-11-24 11:25

He was indeed. The only problem he make was that of wanting third term.

oliphant.mzolisi - 2012-11-24 12:38

Furlong.lubisi.7 let me clerify this to u guys,when we went to polokwane we wanted 2 centers of power it means a president of the ANC and the president of the country to make it more simple, the constitution of the ANC says if u become the president of the ANC u autometically become the president of the country.the constitution of RSA allows only two terms to serve as the president,we wanted Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki to lead the ANC as the party not the goverment as he has already served his two terms in the goverment,therefore we wanted to amend the ANC constitution not to say if u become the president of the ANC not to autometically become the president of the country.i hope u understand i have tried my best to clerify the confussion,Thabo Mbeki did not want to become the president of the country but ANC president if he wanted to serve another term in the goverment he would have amended the South African constitution as he warn by two thirds majority.simple.

matsutle.aphane - 2012-11-24 11:31

SA CITIZENS made a huge blunder when it comes to THABO MBEKI TREAT,,,! like IDIOT zuma have said during FORMER SA STATE MAN THABO MBEKI memorial lacture that, when they were in LONDON addressing the then RUGBY BOSS MR LL cried after TM's speech nor presentation,that how can SA leave such a HUGE TALENT outside?? my Question how can the same ANC leave such a HUGE TALENTED/INTELLECTUAL an EXPERIANCED MAN OUT SIDE,,,,!! and go for two stupid/idiot tsuma an malema,,,,??